Thumbs 11-13-09

In the running. Faulkner County high school runners did quite well in the state championships at Mountain Home the other day. True, cross country doesn’t attract the headlines that football and basketball do, but it is a sport that emphasizes self-determination and plain old grit. Erika Setzler of Conway High and Zak Bowling of Vilonia won state titles. Bailey Sisson of Vilonia was fifth; Zach Mann of Vilonia eighth; Lance Beckman of Conway Christian fourth; Brian Hooten of Guy-Perkins fifth; and Katherine Bartley of Mount Vernon-Enola sixth in their classifications.

The big day. Whether you love deer hunting or loathe it, you have to admit that Saturday is a day rivaling Christmas, Thanksgiving or the fourth of July for many Faulkner County folks. It’s opening day of modern gun season. Maybe we should capitalize those words. The event is part of our area’s fabric. Our plea is for all hunters to be safe first of all, and that includes being careful and cautious going up, down and sitting in tree stands. Second, be respectful of others, especially property owners. A hunting license is not permission to trespass.

Moving in the Brier. Another earthquake has been recorded in the Greenbrier area, a minor one like the previous shakes. We’re wondering if the local Chamber of Commerce could make some promotional use of these happenings. Could Greenbrier adopt the old Jerry Lee Lewis classic, “Whole Lotta Shaking Going On?” Or a slogan, “Things don’t stand still in Greenbrier.” We also realize that not everyone even knows when these earthquakes take place.

National acclaim. Three University of Central Arkansas accounting students have won a national award for their project of setting up an accounting system for Conway Cradle Care, a nonprofit agency that provides low-cost child care for children of high school students. Jessica Rucker, Rachel Foster and Kristin Vest competed in the national event. They won $1,000 for their chapter and a plaque in the competition of Beta Alpha Psi, national accounting organization. Dr. Stephanie Watson, associate professor of accounting at UCA, is their faculty adviser.

Down, down, down. Just when we thought the average citizen’s opinion of Washington political types couldn’t get any lower, along comes this health care fiasco. President Barack Obama isn’t looking good at all on this issue, and Congress? Wow. We realize the topic is immense as well as controversial. Perhaps we are being naïve, but our nation’s so-called “leader” should step back, take deep breaths and say, “Let’s quit the belly aching and posturing and get something worked out.”

“There is a certain group of people that prey upon anything, and the people that attempt to defraud and steal are still trying to figure out avenues to steal or to alter lottery tickets.” —Lance Huey, director of security for the Arkansas lottery.